Electra Unveils Turbo-electric Airliner Concept for NASA AACES 2050 | Aviation International News

Electra Unveils Turbo-electric Airliner Concept

‘Double-bubble’ fuselage promises efficiency gains

Electra’s NASA AACES 2050 airliner concept — Electra’s NASA AACES 2050 airliner concept promises up to a 17% efficiency improvement beyond gains expected by 2050 from advanced structures, engine technologies, and aerodynamic improvements.

By Hanneke Weitering • Science & Technology Editor

June 8, 2026

Electra has unveiled a turbo-electric airliner concept that the company projects could fly up to 17% more efficiently than the advanced aircraft otherwise expected by mid-century. The Virginia-based aircraft manufacturer, which is working to certify a hybrid-electric nine-seat model called the EL9 Ultra Short, designed the 100-seat regional airplane for NASA’s Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 program.

The concept features a wide “double-bubble” fuselage that allows the aircraft’s body to generate more lift, according to Electra. Two underwing turbofans generate electricity that drives three electric fans at the tail. Those tail fans ingest the slower, drag-inducing air that flows near the aircraft’s body and accelerate it with the rest of the air passing through the engine—a technique known as boundary layer ingestion.

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Electra

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